Nibbles and the Ice Princess
by Lizzybethx
Summary: Lithan take on what should have happened in Casualty episode 30. (Does that make it AU?) Lily is also reprimanded for her attitude and overstepping the mark. Lily feels guilty about the hearing but Ethan is there to dry her tears. T mostly because I'm paranoid!
1. Chapter 1

"Although Dr Ashford's behaviour was inappropriate, you over stepped your place Dr Chao and not for the first time. After due consideration we have decided to issue you both with formal written warnings. Do you either have anything to say?"

"No"

Somehow Lily gulped a quiet "No", before tears overtook her. Quickly she stood, leaving the anonymous room as silently as she had entered. Stumbling, unable to see through the tears already forming in her eyes, she attempted to walk somewhere private to clear her mind.

"Sorry, sorry. Lily! Lily?", asked the concerned voice of the blue clothed figure in front of her.

"Ethan?", she gulped.

"Lily, are you okay? Stupid question, of course you're not. What happened?" Ethan mumbled his words awkwardly.

"It's okay, it's okay..." This in answer to the gulping hiccups which started from her throat. Gently Ethan guided Lily to a chair, where he allowed her to cry away her tears on his shoulder. The gulping hiccups slowly faded, leaving instead the most heart-wrenching weeping Ethan had ever heard.

"Lily, Lily, it's okay. Shush. Lily..." He murmured into her hair as she continued to cry on his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the now familiar grey scrubs of his brother, Caleb.

"What?" He mouthed over Lily's head.

"Hug her." Caleb mouthed back.

"What?"

"Hug her." Carefully, Ethan slid his arms around Lily's shaking shoulders, holding her gently. Slowly he tightened his grip until he was holding her close to him. Over Lily's head Caleb gave him a thumbs up but Ethan didn't notice, too absorbed in wiping away Lily's tears.

"It's fine Lily. Shush, shush. It's okay, it's alright. Shush. Don't cry, everything's alright."

"N-n-n-no it's not. It's not alright. It's all my fault", she whispered. "What's all your fault Lily?"

"The hearing, the warnings, everything."

"None of that's your fault. But what warnings?", Ethan asked quietly. Lily replied slowly, tears still running down her face,

"The trust has issued formal warnings to myself and Dr Ashford and it's all my fault."

"Dr Lily Chao", Ethan whispered, "None of that is your responsibility." Sitting up, Lily replied quickly,

"But it is; the trust blames me for over stepping the mark and aggravating Dr Ashford. So it is all my fault."

"Lily, look at me", Ethan said, gently turning her face with his hand. "You lodged a fair complaint about verbal abuse. Maybe you've overstepped the mark before but everybody makes mistakes. You can't keep blaming yourself; you need to move on."

"But what if it wasn't a fair complaint?" Lily asked, turning her head away from Ethan.

"Lily?"

"I lodged the complaint because I was angry"

"Of course you were! He was rude and unnecessarily harsh.", interjected Ethan.

"Maybe but it wasn't just that. I was confused. Very confused. I couldn't understand my emotions. I-I was... Sorta..."

"You were sorta what?", Ethan asked carefully.

"I was sorta in love with him", Lily barely whispered, "I didn't know what to do."

"So you filed a complaint? Lily, isn't that a bit...?"

"Much. Yes. But once I'd filed it, I felt I had to go through with it and now...", she trailed off, tears threatening to once more spill down her cheeks.

"Lily, don't cry. Lily, please. It's not your fault."

"But it is. And now everyone'll hate me even more."

"Lily, no one hates you, I swear. No one even knows."

"Don't lie: nobody likes me. And anyway Dr Ashford'll tell them what I did."

"Tell them what? He told you she had died? Lily, no one will find out. I promise, no one will hate you." Ethan's words were to no avail as tears began again to fall down her checks. As a last resort, he thought of what Caleb would do. Haltingly, he lifted her bowed head upward and gently touched his lips to hers. Lily's eyes snapped open and stared as Ethan broke the connection.

"Ethan?"

"I-i-i-i-i'm sorry. I've, I've got to go. Sorry Lily." Hastily Ethan leapt to his feet and dashed back to Resus. Just as he turned the corner, he glimpsed back at Lily. Someone, Dr Ashford, was talking to her and she was smiling?

"Idiot, stupid, f-ing idiot. Oh yeah just kiss her, after she basically tells you she's in love with Dr Ashford.", he muttered to himself.

"Oh sorry, wasn't watching. Caleb? Where's Zoë?"

"Look mate, Dr Hanna asked me to help her out in Resus. Boss' orders. So you and Lily? Nibbles and the ice princess?"

"Just shut up Caleb!", Ethan spat.

* * *

**So yeah...**

**This is my first fanfic so help/criticism is much appreciated.**

**The title: good, bad, awful? Any better ideas PM me!**

**If you think this is out of character for Lily, re-watch the end of episode 29 and the Xmas party**

**P.S. I DONT OWN CASUALTY! If i did there would no blood/guts/gore!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you going to tell me why you don't want me hanging around?" Caleb asked.

"You have to ask?" replied his younger brother, Ethan.

"Um... Yep! I mean who wouldn't want me around? Life and soul of the party, I am."

"That may be, but doesn't make you any easy to put up with."

"Come on Ethan, 'stay out of my way'? Last time you said that was..." Suddenly Caleb's eyes lit up. "Last time you said that was when you were in luuurve with that Annie girl."

"Anna was my third girlfriend for a week and your eighteenth girlfriend for the next month, remember?"

Caleb however was paying little attention, instead counting off on his fingers the many pretty doctors and nurses in the ED.

"Rita. Robyn. Sara. Zoe? Mia. No, I've got it! Miss Lily Chao."

"That's Dr Chao to you and no. I'm not in 'luurve' as you put it with Lily."

"You are! Not even you would let just a 'friend' blub all over your shoulder for nothing."

"To be kind?"

"Nope, you are totally in love with her!"

"Shut up Caleb!" Ethan blushed.

"Awww, is lickle Nibbles embarrassed?"

"I said Shut Up!", Ethan half-shouted, half-said as they approached the staff pub.  
They walked inside together but soon split up, Caleb sitting with a group of slightly tipsy nurses and Ethan choosing a seat on the far wall.

Caleb was half way through his third pint when he saw something that made him cough up his mouthful of beer. Ethan was talking –flirting- to a girl. He couldn't see who from the back but he would guess from what he could see pretty, smart and eloquent. Not a one night stand. His attention was drawn back to the hot blonde on his left and the sexy brunette on his right.

Dr Hanna was waiting for her wine and looking around the pub picking out her staff, something she tended to do when bored. It was at this point that Ethan Hardy, (no, not his smooth talking older brother, but him) walked past carrying a pint and a red wine. There was nothing strange about that, except the fact that his table happened to also be that of a young woman wearing a tight dress and high heels. Not his normal drinking companion. As Zoe stored this useful piece of information away for use in teasing tomorrow, Ash returned with her drink.

Ethan couldn't believe his luck; a very pretty stranger had introduced herself to him and not for the sole purpose of learning Cal's number. As they drank and talked, Ethan found himself almost forgetting Lily. Almost that is until Maria, the pretty stranger, explained she had an early shift and had to leave now as her boyfriend would be home soon. Ethan was left alone with his thoughts until Max, shouting over the noise, caught his attention.

Egged on by 'Lofty', Robyn and two pints of the best bitter, Max stood up and announced a toast.

"I suggest a toast to the memory of Lily Chao at Holby Hospital. Thankfully now only a memory!"

Ethan refused to join in with the loud expressions of agreement, instead kicking himself as he realised he would be unlikely to see her again. Suddenly from close by he heard faint sobbing. Turning he saw Lily herself sat only a few tables along. He walked across slowly, so as not to draw attention to himself, and for the second time that day, offered her his shoulder to cry on.

Lily wrapped her arms around his neck while he held her tightly, allowing her tears to soak into his jacket collar. One by one, the other drinkers noticed the scene, the two tightly hugging figures, but were silenced by one word from Caleb or a glare from Ethan.

Finally Lily's tears dried up and she slowly opened her eyes, fully registering where she was. In the staff pub. With her arms wrapped around Ethan?

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"I was sitting over there and I saw you crying so I thought I would offer a shoulder to cry on."

"How long have I been sitting like this?"

"Since Max's toast: half an hour."

"I've been crying for thirty minutes!" Lily exclaimed removing her arms from Ethan's neck.

"Uh-huh."

"Ethan, I'm so sorry, I didn't realise..."

"It's fine. Goodnight Lily."

Ethan replied abruptly, gently kissing her cheek. With that he got up and left the bar, walking past his brother and the even more tipsy nurses.  
Slowly Lily stood but without Ethan's arms to protect her, she suddenly felt very afraid.

"What's happening to me? I'm not... it can't be... it's not... it might be... it won't be..." Lily murmured to herself as she made her way to the waiting car.

"What. The. Hell?" asked Caleb in shock, expressing the thoughts of most of the Holby City Staff.

"They sit there for half an hour and then he just leaves?"

"This is Lily we're talking about", commented Robyn.

"Yes, but this is my little brother, Ethan: he's 'loyal'. If he loves her -and he does- he won't leave her for anything. It's ridiculous."

"Whatever. Just ask him tomorrow."

"Yeah, I will."

**So what do you think?**

**Hint I've split episode 20 in half: environmental activists are 'tomorrow'**

**P.S. I STILL DON'T OWN CASUALTY!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Cal?", Ethan said quietly, still in disbelief that he could have the courage to tell his brother (second only to Robyn for rumour spreading) the truth.

"Ethan?", replied Caleb with his mind still on the lung drain. He knew that he knew what he was doing and that Ethan just refused to trust him to start with out of pig-headedness

Taking a deep breath Ethan continued, "You were right."

"Of course I was. But when are we talking?", Caleb replied _no-one but Etgan would state such an obvious point, _he thought.

"About Lily", Ethan almost whispered.

"I KNEW IT!", yelled Caleb, making everyone in Resus jump about a foot in the air. "But it is really obvious. Whenever you talk to her you stammer like a little kid."

"I do not!" _Why, why, why did i think this was a good idea? _

"Hey Fletch, listen to this ...", called Caleb ignoring his brother. Caleb still couldn't believe that Ethan thoight that nobody had seen his lost-puppy gazes at Lily and that nobody had inferred anything when Ethan got all defensive about her.

"But...", Ethan desperately tried to stop his brother's talking, knowing what was coming next.

"Y'know Lily, obviously. Well her and Ethan..."

"Caleb!", threatened Ethan.

"Are sorta, kinda, well...", continued Caleb. _It's not like anybody doesn't know already!_

"She's in love with Dr Ashford!", Ethan half-said, half-cried.

"WHAT!", exclaomed Caleb in shock. His mind literally exploded, he was Caleb Knight, ladies' man and all round love god. He would have sworn Lily was just waiting for Ethan to...

"You heard me", continued Ethan in that strange half-crying choke, "and if you don't mind, I need a break." Pushing past the nurse and the locum, he walked the long way back to the staffroom.

Ethan's mind was in turmoil, Lily's voice telling him she loved Ash ringing in his ears, her tear-stained face burning into his brain. Opening his locker, he leant forward hiding his head in the cold, black shadows. Suddenly he pulled back, slamming the door with all his might. Turning he slowly slid to the floor, sitting with his knees bent up, his head in his hands. Mentally he went over last night, Lily's arms around his neck, her head buried in his shoulder. He remembered perfectly the smell of her perfume and the way her shoulders had shaken with sobs. Sliding his head back, he slammed it into the metal, whispering her name.

A good five minutes later, Ethan returned to Resus looking much saner. Caleb gave a cursory greeting and drew his attention to the latest results of Rob/Paul's x-rays. Shortly afterwards, a specialist checking his lungs remarked how a second anaphylactic shock could have seriously damaged the patient's heart. Once she had left Ethan turned to his brother and starting talking quietly.

"I thought he was heading for a massive haemothorax. Good call." Ethan spoke normally as if trying tp pretend tfat the last ten minutes had never happened.

"How long have you known?", Caleb asked risking his nose, (Ethan may be small but a punch is a punch) for one final piece of information.

"Long enough."_ How long is 'long enough'? Give me sonething to play with here, Ethan! The more i know the sooner, i Caleb Knight, matchmaker supreme can hook you two up!_

"Well his resps are right back up there, BP and pulse rate are normal so we're good to move him whenever.", interjected Fletch. Suddenly the door half-opened, and Dr Hanna started talking, causing both doctors to turn around.

"Everything alright in here?". However the replies died on the brothers' lips when they saw Zoe's companion: Dr Lily Chao herself.

"Zoe, can I have a word?", asked Lily. As Zoe turned Ethan glanced at Caleb, forbidding him to say anything. Caleb looked from Ethan to Fletch and back to where Lily had been standing, his trademark smirk on his face. Ethan really needed some help in the romance, no scrap that, the seeing zone!

**Hi again!**

**Sorry its short! I'm currently working on chapter 5 -the big kiss!**

**I have chapter 4 written and i will post it when this story gets 22 reviews+followers+favourites! (if i ask really nicely can i have 200 views, d'you think? pretty please!)**

**I still don't own casualty!**

**PS Ive added over 100 words of description :-D**


	4. Chapter 4

A little later, after the shift had finished, Robyn sat by Resus, pinching her nose, in an attempt to stop the tears. Lofty rounded the corner, out of breath, and bent over double, asked her between gasps what happened.

"I just mixed up the saline and antitoxins. Lily went a bit ... overboard." Even as she said Robyn inwardly laughed at the understatement; Lily had asked her if she had even passed medical school and told Robyn that she had no chance of getting a place on the advanced trauma course if her attitude and work continued to be so sloppy.

"Right you're -gasp- coming with me -gasp- and we're talking -gasp- to Ethan. And then i'm -gasp- getting a gym membership."

"Why are we talking to Ethan?", asked Robyn.

"Because we're talking about Lily." Lofty replied as if that cleared everything up. And in a way it did; no-one with a nose for gossip or, to be honest, eyes in their head could miss Ethan's almost constant glances at Dr Chao. Ethan was the only one who had any chance of understanding Lily and was their best bet for finding out what was going on in Lily's head right now.

* * *

Meanwhile Ethan was carefully explaining again to Caleb how he knew Lily loved Ash. Caleb let him finish before laughing in his face.

"You are an idiot! She loves you or she wouldn't have cried on your shoulder, twice! Come on Ethan, you know that as well as me."

"Caleb, I really think that if she 'loved' me she would have kissed me back. So yes, I am an idiot... for ever thinking that Lily might possibly love me." With that Ethan turned into the staffroom as Caleb watched in amazement. Honestly his little brother might be fractionally better at medicine (but only slightly), however he was a complete dunce when it came to women. Caleb laughed quietly remembering the comic moment when as Ethan had turned to stare at Lily, she had turned her head from its position of the last five minutes-staring at him. One look at her face then should have told Ethan everything but as he evidently couldn't tell love from friendship Caleb might have to steo into the breach himself. Ethan deserved a break with a woman for once. He was woken from his thoughts by a call from across the desk

"Caleb!"

"Lofty, Robyn. What can I do for you?", Caleb replied happy to talk to the two nurses who could be relied upon to make a bad shift funnier.

"Its actually Ethan we want." Lofty continued breathlessly, while Robyn discovered how quickly Cal's smirk could disappear.

"Really?", Cal must have misheard. _Why would these two need Ethan?_

"Yeah, its about Lily."

"Told him it was obvious.", Caleb said to himself, "I don't think that's a good idea right now."

"Why?", asked Lofty and Robyn together.

"Why don't I tell you in the pub? I'm parched. First round's on me."

* * *

Later in the pub Robyn, Max, Rita and Lofty crowded around Caleb who had, true to his word, bought the drinks and delayed this moment for what seemed like eternity to self-proclaimed gossip addict Robyn. Adding her black coat to the pile of leather jackets and suit jackets by Lofty's chair, she took her chance when the conversation lulled.

"So... Why can't we talk to Ethan about Lily?", Robyn asked excitedly. She was queen of gissip at Holby but even she had no idea.

Cakeb's smirk faded for only a second before continuing in his normal, if slightly less sober, conversational tone, "She sorta broke his heart."

"She did what?", interjected Rita.

"Yeah turns out, surprise, surprise Ethan's got the hots for our resident ice princess. And..."

"And what?", asked Robyn excitedly. Gossip this juicy makes up for the wait, although it was reasonably obvious thst Ethan was head-over-heels for the coldest doctor in the ED.

"They've kissed." Caleb enjoyed watching the expression unfold on his eager listeners faces. Robyn was evidently delighted, Rita looked ready to fall out of her seat (nothing to do with her two pints) and Max refused to even look bothered.

Lofty, sufficiently recovered from a coughing/ choking/ laughing fit exclaimed, almost in horror, "When? And nobody noticed anything?"

"I don't know; all I know is that she didn't kiss him back or something like that."

"So Lily has...", pondered Rita

"Broken Ethan's heart, made Robyn cry and gotten Ash a written warning", replied Lofty. "All in less than a week!"

* * *

**i know, i know... Too short!**

**but the big kiss is written and will go up soon, probably (apologies in advance)**

**you guys are amazing... i ask for possibly 200 views, you give me 260!**

**That's not much to some but for me, it's incredible **

**thank you to anyone who has written a review, followed or favourited this story!**

**PS I have added some, although probably not enough, description. Thanks to everyone who told me that, cos i do and i did ask for constructive crit!**


	5. Chapter 5

Ethan walked slowly through the still dusk, thinking of Lily. His mind had been full of little else since they met, but especially since that kiss. As he drew near the staff pub where he had agreed to meet Jack, his brother's voice floated across the street.

"Ethan... hots... ice princess..."

Ethan's frame visibly drooped as the sounds of laughter and shock reached his ears. Once across the street he slowly opened the door, wincing as shouts flew across the room.

"Lover boy, over here!", called Max, causing Lofty to half-choke on his pint.

"Your brother has told us everything", Robyn emphasised, "Prepare for a grilling."

"Caleb!", Ethan half-shouted. _How could his own brother sell him out like that? Didn't Caleb care at all about what might happen if Lily found out he was in love with her? Ethan's head jerked as he realised what he had confessed to himself, he was in love with Lily Chao._

"They forced it out of me", replied the semi-drunk Caleb.

"So Ethan...", Robyn continued perkily. Ethan's shoulders dropped, it was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Robyn, for the third time, Yes, we kissed. No, we're not dating. Yes, she loves Ash. No, I am not lying."

"Okay, so?", asked Rita expectantly.

"So... what?", Ethan asked warily.

"What now?", chorused Robyn and Rita, happily. They both knew something Etgan didn't and were planning to use that to their advantage. Besides the blindingly obvious fact that Lily was in love with him.

"Nothing", Ethan replied surprised.

"C'mon mate. You can barely string a sentence together when she talks to you. You know, we know, she knows. So grow a pair and ask her out!", commented Max.

"How about no?... Robyn, what are you doing?", Ethan as worridly as Robyn started tapping away on her phone.

"Finding Lily's number."

"Guys, seriously?", Ethan asked wearily._ If the fact that Caleb had told half of Holby wasn't bad enough, they were going to announce to Lily his one-sided feelings. And she would kindly reject him and he would nod and try to smile and Caleb would laugh like always and if he didn't watch it, he was going to snap at the two of them._

"I need some air", Ethan muttered, standing up slowly.

* * *

Lily closed her eyes, steeling herself to go inside. To look around and see hostile stares. To hear whispers and laughter. Again Lily asked, why she was putting herself through this. Deep down, she knew why. There was a chance, a small chance, that Ethan would be there and that maybe he would let her explain. Let her tell him just how much she cared. Maybe he would tell her why he left.

Or not. It could all be for nothing. At least at work, they had to pretend to be civil.

Stepping back, out of the way of the moving door, she tripped over thin air. Falling, she saw the ground approaching, as if in slow motion. She braced herself for the impact.

Which never came. Gently, a pair of strong arms lifted her to her feet.

"Okay there... Lily?"

"Ethan?", Lily asked more as a confirmation, than a question. He was here! What was she going to do? What if...?

"Lily. So... Ummm..."

Suddenly, plucking up what little courage she had left, after two days of whispers, murmurs and gossip, Lily leant forward. Softly she touched her lips to his. The short delay before Ethan responded sent her heart sinking through her shoes. She had begun to draw back, flushing red, when Ethan wrapped his arms once more around her waist. Sliding her hands behind his neck, she leant into the kiss she had wanted since that first, unsure brush of the lips.

* * *

Inside the pub, Caleb stared at the two interlinked figures. His attention was brought back to the table by a groan from Lofty. Reluctantly Lofty handed a crumpled five pound note to Robyn.

"Told you!", she teased. Robyn had known she could win this bet the minute Lily's silhouette appeared on the glass of the pub door. All the two had neeeded was a little push

"What's going on?" asked Max. _Since when does Lofty give my sister money?_

"Robyn bet me a fiver that she could get Ethan and Lily together tonight", replied Lofty, annoyed with both himself and Robyn

"Wait...", asked Caleb in confusion, "You knew she was outside?"

"Yep!", grinned Robyn, "You didn't actually think I had her number, did you?" _Men, so plain dense sometimes!_

* * *

**VOILA! The big kiss!**_  
_

**I'm planning to write one, **if not two more, **chapters. But after that one-shot/multi-chapter ideas are very welcome!**

**Thanks to guest, sorry-but-its-true and hannahisnotarealperson for making me edit my story! **

**Love Lizzy**


	6. Chapter 6

Ethan and Lily broke apart, breathing heavily. Ethan's mind was full of crazy things but mostly the fact that Lily Chao: beautiful, sophisticated, intelligent had kissed him, Ethan Hardy.

Gazing at Ethan, Lily was awoken from her thoughts by a short cough. Turning, her face flooded red as she saw Robyn, Max, Lofty and Caleb staring at her and Ethan.

"Guys! I didn't... We didn't...", Ethan stuttered.

"Ethan, relax we don't bite!" Robyn giggled as Caleb started talking, "We were just a little curious as to the identities of the couple snogging outside the pub. I mean, Ethan? I never would have guessed that you would make out with Lily in front of us!"

Lily felt her face flush even redder as Ethan's cheeks turned crimson. Ethan could not believe that Caleb had just said that. He had not... They hadn't... Turning to Lily he saw her face giving off even more light than his (so it is possible!) and quickly, reaching for her hand, told Caleb rather un-politely to 'go away'. Spinning he pulled Lily along side him until he felt calm enough so as not to shout.

"Lily, are you okay?"

"Yes," Ethan questioned her with a look, "No. Well, nothing another kiss couldn't fix." Lily asked nervously.

"Happy to oblige", Ethan smiled as their lips touched gently together. Mere seconds later, he pulled away asking if there was anywhere they could go to talk.

"We could go back to my flat, its really close from here."

"Yeah sure, if thats okay with you", Ethan replied in a strangled voice. _B__ack to her flat?! Was that code for something? Why couldn't he be Caleb and totally smooth? What if... _

"Y'know to talk", Lily continued, "I mean if you don't want to or if you need to be somewhere that's fine." _Why, why had she said her flat? Now Ethan was going to think she was some kind of sl... _

"That sounds great", Ethan smiled his awkward, adorable smile and Lily's fears vanished.

"Its just down here and round that corner", Lily explained as they started to walk down the street, their hands still interlinked.

* * *

"Here we are! My flat is tiny, I know but I'm training in an ED, what do you expect? Grab a seat, I can get you a drink. What do you want?"

"What do you have?"

"Uh, juice, water and beer." _Sound a bit more excited, for god's sake or he'll just leave. _

"Why do you have beer?", Ethan asked surprised.

"House-warming gift", Lily replied shaking her head at her Mum's suggestion that when a guy came over they could drink together.

"I'm having beer," she continued brightly. _Jeez now i sound too perky._

"I'll have the same, thanks". Tonight was full of surprises; Lily having beer is just one of them, Ethan thought to himself. As Lily grabbed the beers, two glasses and ice, Ethan looked around the apartment, agreeing with Lily's description of tiny. It was tidy and ordered, unsurprisingly but had few individual touches. Ethan assumed that as she'd only moved in recently, Lily would make her mark later. His mind soon moved back to its original train of thought. He needed to talk to Lily but how do was he supposed to start this kind of conversation? _What do I say? Do i just come out and say it? Why is it so hard? Its just Lily. Yeah, she's just beautiful, smart and eloquent_. Ethan's internal monologue was interrupted by the entrance of Lily, carrying two glasses.

"So, Ethan what did you want to talk about?", Lily asked breezily. _Don't sound so relaxed or he'll think you don't care! _

_"_Its just, ummmm. About last night..."

"Uh-huh?" _That the best _you_ can do?_

"I just wanted to explain why I left."

"Ethan?" _Don't sound so scared, idiot._

"Look Lily, I'm in love with you and I guess i started falling in love the minute i met you so when I saw you crying I wanted to be there for you, so I came to sit with you and then when you stopped crying, it hit me. I realised how much i wanted to kiss you again. But I'm not Caleb. I've grown up with stories of how he's taken advantage, kissing crying women. Then I realised; I'd done that to you. And more than anything else, I don't want to be Caleb. I didn't want for you to feel you had to kiss me, because I was there or that I was trying to 'make' you love me. So as soon as I knew you were okay, I left. And i'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for Ethan?"

"For kissing you when you told me you loved Ash, for kissing you at all, for leaving you, for going to you, for everything", Ethan replied tripping over his own words in both haste and embarrassment.

"Ethan, look at me. You have nothing to apologise for. I told you i loved Ash because i thought I did. I didn't. Just my family never say 'Well done' or 'we're so proud' so when Ash praised me I... I guess I thought I was in love but I wasn't. I'm in love with you Ethan. I've been in love with you since you kissed me through my tears."

"You mean that?", Ethan asked in wonder. He knew Lily liked him; he never imagined she would ever say 'I love you'. He thought she was more likely to call the whole thing a mistake.

"Yes I mean that."

Quickly Ethan lifted her head to his and kissed her passionately saying all the things he'd wanted to say for so long. Lily kissed him back knowing now, how love truly felt. The untouched glasses of beer were still there when they finished talking much, much later.

* * *

"Lily, I should really be going."

"Ethan, are you serious? Its one am. You can just sleep on the sofa and you can go home in the morning, before work." _Did I honestly just say that? What is he going to think! Oh no! _

"If you're sure that's fine with you, I would love to. I mean, i-i-i-i'd r-r-rather", Ethan stuttered, flushing pink.

"Honestly, its fine", Lily reassured him. Kissing him softly on the cheek, Lily left the room and turned into her small bedroom.

Ethan realised five minutes later that he was still sitting there, a ridiculous smile shining on his face.

* * *

**Hi again!**

**Sorry it's been so long since i updated I've been working on improving the other chapters. You can thank Hamnahisnotarealperson for making me write this**

**Long but boring is my guess at the reviews but anyway please review!**

**One more chapter and then i'm planning to do a series of one-shots... Ideas much appreciated! **

**Love Lizzy**


	7. Chapter 7

Ethan woke the next morning, rubbing his eyes and wondering where he was. Suddenly it all came back: the kiss(es), his confession, Lily's declaration and staying the night.

"Morning Ethan", Lily called as she wandered into the kitchenette.

"Is toast okay?"

"Sure, I'll give you a hand."

Later when they were sat eating toast, Ethan took a deep breath and asked quickly,

"Lily will-you-go-out-with-me?"

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that", she giggled.

Ethan glared, before repeating more slowly,

"Lily Chao, will you go out with me?"

"Ethan Hardy", Lily replied with mock seriousness, "It would be an honour."

Laughing, Ethan kissed her before Lily broke apart to speak.

"Just, emmm, one thing, could we not tell everyone yet?"

"Why Lily?", Ethan asked perplexed.

"It's just that at work, I'm... not very popular and I don't want people to think I'm dating you so people like me or that people ignore you because of me." Lily was more worried about the latter; she had learnt to deal with the cuts and the blocks but Ethan didn't deserve any of it, especially not because of her.

"Lily, you're my girlfriend. I don't care what they say; I want to tell the world that the amazing Lily Chao agreed to go out with me." Ethan swung Lily round as he said that, leaving her giggly and dizzy.

"If you're sure Ethan..."

"I've never been so certain!"

"When shall we tell them?"

"At lunchtime, over the tanoy, I don't care. But how about...?"

"I've got an idea. We just become a couple. Save the hassle of explaining to everyone."

"Have you got a camera ready for Robyn's face?"

Laughing Lily grabbed her bag and they walked over to Ethan's apartment a few streets away. Once he had his stuff for work, they walked back to Holby.

* * *

As they walked through the ambulance bay, Lily remembered something.

"I need to go ask Dr Hanna a few things, I'll see you later?"

"Sure, catch you a break" Lily gave Ethan a quick peck on the cheek before walking towards Dr Hanna's office.

* * *

"Earth to Ethan. Earth to Ethan."

"Sorry Robyn, what did you say?"

"Doesn't matter", Robyn told him before continuing excitedly. "How was last night? Did you kiss? Have you asked her out yet? How come you come you came in together? Did you stay the night?"

"Woah, slow down."

Ethan thought quickly before deciding that although Robyn was a bit of a exaggerating gossip, it would be the fastest way besides the tanoy of telling everyone. Taking a deep breath he answered her questions in quick succession.

"You know we kissed," he started making Robyn look a little shame-faced.

"Cal's idea", she mumbled confirming Ethan's thoughts.

"And I did ask her out and she actually said yes!" Ethan explained happily, still not over that. "We came in together because I stayed the night."

Despite wanted to jump up and down, squealing like a schoolgirl, Robyn managed to remain calm and persist with her questioning.

"Why were you at her flat? When did you go there? Whose idea was it? Did you, you know...?", Robyn's voice faded as she saw Ethan's face darken and the smile of moments before slide from his face.

"No, Robyn, we didn't and anyway it's none of your business", Ethan continued in a curiously flat tone before turning quickly into the locker room. Lofty, having watched the short exchange, strolled over. He tried, and failed, not to laugh at the expression of bewilderment on Robyn's face.

* * *

Meanwhile outside Zoe's office, Lily was enduring much the same kind of conversation, except with Caleb. Having started innocently, "You waiting for Zoe too?", Lily was now holding back the urge to slap him across the face. Realising she must look more than a little weird just staring down like that, Lily started listening again. Unfortunately she zoned back in as Cal asked her if her and Ethan had 'done the dirty' yet, although he doubted it as Ethan had, ummm, never as it were... Caleb strategically trailed off to try and place that doubt in her mind.

"Next time you want something like that, well you've got my number." Caleb smirked at Lily, enjoying her embarrassment. Lily however could not believe her ears, (not about Ethan), but could you be any more cocky? Caleb seemed to have no knowledge that two people can be happy together without... Lily left the final thought mid-sentence as Caleb started talking again.

"Or how about you and I meet tonight at the pub, say around half eight?"

"I'd love to", Lily began sarcastically, scarcely able to believe the sheer arrogance of Caleb, "but I've got a date with my boyfriend." She stared wide-eyed at a chuckling Caleb, whose jaw dropped in shock.

"You weren't joking?"

"No, I wasn't." Lily spoke coldly glaring at Caleb, who felt an irrational feeling of terror due to nothing but the sheer ferocity of her gaze. "In fact there he is now!", Lily continued in a happier tone.

"Ethan?", asked Caleb mockingly.

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?", asked Lily slightly threateningly, with the accompanying glare. The kind of glare that reduces grown men to shaking school-boys.

She stood up quickly and walked over to where Ethan was talking to Charlie. As Charlie turned to Tess, Lily kissed Ethan on the cheek, causing his face to split into a smile.

Caleb's jaw not only hit the floor, but went most of the way to Australia. Zoe, opening the door behind him, saw what he was staring at and laughed.

"You knew it was going to happen right?"

"Ye-es", Caleb bluffed.

Beside the desk, the couple laughed at the look of shock on Cal's face.

"I'm sorry, but I should have filmed that", Ethan joked.

"He doesn't look much more confused than normal", teased Lily.

Indignantly, Caleb called across the room, "I heard that Nibbles and you too, 'Ice Princess'!"

* * *

**Voila! the seventh and final chapter!**

**i have just finished my first ever fanfic! *squeals***

**planning on doing a series of one-shots with the ED's reactions. Any ideas, please PM me or leave in the review box or just y'know review it**

**I'll add the title of the 'sequel' when i think of one!- its called "They're Dating?" and is a series of one shots about the ED's reaction to them dating from different POVs **


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